munhausen



Feb. 21, 1956 T. w. MUNHAUSEN 2,735,493

SCREEN AND LINER SETTING, SETTING TOOL AND WASH PIPE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 2, 1953 Theodore W Mun/muse Feb. 21, 1956 'r, w. MUNHAUSEN2,735,493

SCREEN AND LINER SETTING, SETTING TOOL AND WASH PIPE Filed Sept. 2, 19533 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS yam. @wntfl ATTORNEY Theodore W Mun/mus enFeb. 21, 1956 1-, w. MUNHAUSEN 2,735,493

SCREEN AND LINER SETTING, SETTING TOOL AND WASH PIPE Filed Sept. 2, 19533 Sheets-Sheet 3 II I Theodore W Mun/muse INVENTORJ BY 1 I fwwfl MATTORNEY SCREEN AND LINER SETTING, SETTING TOOL AND WAH PIPE Theodore W.Munhausen, Houston, Tex., assignor to Leslie A. Layne, Houston, Tex.

Application September 2, 1953, Serial No. 378,113

3 Claims. (Cl. 166-444) The invention concerns means for completingwells. It concerns more particularly certain specific improvements in awell known combination which comprises a Screen and liner setting, asetting tool and a wash pipe.

In completing wells, it is customary to lower into the well, aftercasing has been set, a screen and liner setting comprising a set shoe, ascreen, a liner and a collapsible packer, which are connected anddisposed one above the other. The screen and liner setting is loweredinto the well on a string of tubing having a setting tool removablyconnected to its lower end. The setting tool is removably connected tothe screen and liner setting, whereby it may be disengaged therefrom,leaving the screen and liner setting in the well. The setting toolincludes means for collap-sing the packer, and this is accomplished bycausing the setting tool to bear upon the collapsible portion of thepacker in such a way that the weight of the setting tool and thesupporting tubing causes the packer to collapse. A wash pipe, which iscarried by the setting tool, is disposed within the screen and linersetting and forms an imperforate conduit extending downwardly thru thescreen.

A conventional type of packer, in which the stem is receivabletelescopically within the lower end of the packer barrel and extendsdownwardly therefrom, and in which the packer is collapsed by causingthe weight of the sup porting tubing to bear upon the packer barrel,forcing it downwardly over the stem, is illustrated in U. S. Patent No.1,870,779, dated August 9, 1932, issued to Leslie A. Layne and Albert L.Roco.

A disadvantageous feature of the conventional type of packer, abovereferred to, is that the weight of the supporting tubing is not alwayssuflicient to fully collapse the packer. This is particularly true inshallow wells. The collapsible canvas portion of the packer begins tofold outwardly from the top, and immediately the folds of canvas engagethe casing. The friction between the canvas and the casing, as well asthe pressure of well fluids on the under side of the packer, must beovercome in order to fully collapse the packer.

An improved arrangement, in which the packer is disposed upside down,and the stem is receivable telescopically within the upper end of thepacker barrel and extends upwardly therefrom, and in which the packer iscollapsed by causing the weight of the supporting tubing to bear uponthe packer stem, forcing it downwardly in the barrel, is illustrated inU. S. Patent No. 2,243,967, dated June 3, 1941, issued to Leslie A.Layne, Harold C. Block and Albert L. Roco. In this type of arrangement.the collapsible canvas portion of the packer begins to fold outwardlyfrom the bottom, and there is no resistance to the downward movement ofthe packer stem caused by friction between the folds of canvas and thecasing.

The present invention is an improvement over the arrangement shown inthe patent of Leslie A. Layne, Harold C. Block and Albert L. Roco, No.2,243,967, above referred to, and is intended particularly for use in anoperation such as that described in a copending application of Leslie A.Layne, Serial No. 343,916, filed March 23,

1953, which concerns a method of gravel packing wells in which gravel isdeposited in an under-reamed portion of a well bore, after casing hasbeen set, and thereafter a screen and liner setting is lowered to thebottom of the well, thru the gravel deposit, while circulating fluidinto the well, thru a wash pipe disposed within the screen and linersetting, to displace the gravel ahead of the screen and liner setting.

In the gravel packing operation described in the copending applicationof Leslie A. Layne, Serial No. 343, 916, it is desirable to employ anupside down packer of the type shown in the patent of Leslie A. Layne,Harold C. Block and Albert L. Roco, No. 2,243,967, for the reasonsstated. It is also desirable to employ a packer which is of relativelysmall diameter, whereby a cutting tool may be moved downwardly over thepacker, in the annulus between the packer barrel and the casing, to cutaway the canvas portion of the packer whereby the screen and linersetting may be removed from the well after the packor has beencollapsed. In order to compensate for the small diameter of the packer,it is desirable to use an arrangement of the type described in U. S.Patent No. 2,982,113, dated June 1, 1937, issued to Leslie A. Layne andLouis C. Mundt, in which the eifective diameter of the packer, uponcollapsing it, is increased by slotting the canvas portion thereof.

A disadvantageous feature of the arrangement shown in the patent ofLeslie A. Layne, Harold C. Block and Albert L. Roco, No. 2,243,967, isthat the supporting tubing, which serves also as the wash pipe, isconnected to the screen and liner setting at the set shoe. The wash pipenecessarily is of relatively small diameter, and extends downwardly thruthe liner, which may be from about 40 feet to about 200 feet long, forexample. It is sometimes ditficult to connect the wash pipe to the setshoe, after it has been disengaged therefrom, to remove the screen andliner setting from the well.

The present invention contemplates connecting the supporting tubing tothe screen and liner setting above the liner, adjacent the lower end ofthe packer barrel. This reduces the length of the supporting tubing,which may be 'of somewhat larger diameter than the wash pipe, andfacilitates connecting the tubing to the screen and liner setting afterit has been disengaged therefrom.

Another disadvantageous feature of the arrangement shown in the patentnext above referred to is that the supporting tubing, which serves alsoas the wash pipe, must be accurately measured and cut in order for thesetting tool to function properly.

Applicants invention contemplates an improved arrangement in which thewash pipe is suspended from the supporting tubing and is freely movablewith respect thereto. The wash pipe is not connected to the screen andliner setting.

Applicants invention also includes improved means car ried by the packerstem for effecting a seal between the supporting tubing and the packer.

The invention will be readily understood by referring to the followingdescription and the accompanying drawing,

in which:

Fig. l is a diagrammatic view in elevation showing the apparatus of theinvention disposed in a well bore, before collapsing the packer.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View in elevation showing the apparatus afterthe packer has been collapsed and the setting tool has been disengagedfrom the screen and liner setting.

Figs. 3, 3A, 3B and 3C together constitute a single view, which is anenlarged view in elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus shown inFigs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a well bore. The wellbore 1 has been under-reamed, and

gravel has been deposited in the under-reamed portion. A string ofcasing, indicated by the numeral 2, has been set in the well bore 1, anda screen and liner setting as hereinafter described has been loweredinto the well.

The screen and liner setting comprises a set shoe 3, a screen 4, a liner5 and a collapsible packer 6, which are connected and disposed one abovethe other. The liner 5 consists of an imperforate pipe, which may befrom about 40 feet to about 200 feet long, for example, and is providedwith centering guides 5a for engagement with the casing 2. In itsexpanded position the packer 6 engages the casing 2 whereby a seal isformed between the casing 2 and the screen and liner setting, and fluidsentering the well from the producing formation are caused to flow thruthe screen 4.

The screen and liner setting is lowered into the well on a string oftubing 7 having a setting tool 8 removably connected to its lower end.The setting tool 8 is removably connected to the screen and linersetting, as hereinafter described, whereby it may be disengagedtherefrom, leaving the screen and liner setting in the well.

The setting tool 8 includes means for collapsing the packer 6, ashereinafter described. This is accomplished by causing the setting tool8 to bear upon the collapsible portion of the packer 6 in such a waythat the weight of the setting tool 8 and the supporting tubing '7causes the packer 6 to collapse.

A wash pipe 9, which is carried by the setting tool 8, as hereinafterdescribed, is disposed within the screen and liner setting. The washpipe 9 is freely movable with respect to the tubing 7 and the settingtool 8, and is acted upon by the pressure of circulating fluid movingdownwardly thru the tubing 7 to cause its lower end to engage a seat 1%)provided therefor in the set shoe 3. The seat 10 is formed in the upperend of an upstanding tubular member 19a, which is disposedconcentrically within the set shoe 3 and has a flanged lower endconnected to the inner wall thereof. Thus the wash pipe 9 forms animperforate conduit extending downwardly thru the screen 4. A pair ofspring biased back pressure valves 11, which are disposed one above theother within the set shoe 3, below the seat 10, permit fluid to bedischarged thru the wash pipe 3 and the set shoe 3 while preventing theflow of well fluids in reverse direction.

The packer 6 comprises a barrel 12, which is connected to the upper endof the liner 5 by a swa'ged nipple 13, and a stem 14 which is receivabletelescopically within the barrel 12. Before the packer 6 is collapsedthe stem 14 extends upwardly above the barrel 12, and only the lower endof the stem 14 is received within the barrel 12. The upper end of thestem 14 is removably connected to the lower end of a coupling 15, ashereinafter described. The upper end of the coupling 15 is connected bylefthand threads Ida to a stuffing box 16, which forms a seal betweenthe coupling 15 and the tubing 7.

In its extended position, the stem 14 of the packer 6, above referredto, is enclosed within a collapsible tube 17, which is formed of severallayers of spirally wrapped canvas and is anchored at its ends to thebarrel 12 and the stem 14. The arrangement is such that, upontelescoping the stem 14 within the barrel 12, the canvas tube 17 iscollapsed like a bellows and forms a seal between the barrel 12 and thestem 14, which with the canvas tube 17 comprise the packer 6, as abovedescribed, and the casing 2.

The canvas tube 17 advantageously may be slotted as described in thepatent of Leslie A. Layne and Louis C. Mundt, No. 2,082,113, abovereferred to, whereby its effective diameter, when collapsed, may beincreased.

Ratchet type threads 20 are formed on the outer surface of the stem 14for engagement by corresponding threads 21 which extend inwardly from alongitudinally slotted portion of the barrel 12. The threads 20 and 21retain the packer 6 in its collapsed position. The threads 20 are notnecessarily continuous, but may be separated by an unthreadedintermediate portion 14a of the stem 14,

which slidably engages a corresponding unthreaded portion whichcomprises the extreme upper end 12a of the barrel 12. The upper end 12aof the barrel 12 may be tapered externally whereby it may be readilyforced between the stem 14 and the canvas tube 17.

The ends of the swaged nipple 13 are connected to the upper end of theliner 5 and the lower end of the packer barrel 12. An intermediateportion of the swaged nipple 13 is threaded internally at 13a, withleft-hand threads, for engagement by a tubular fitting 23, which isremovably connected to the lower end of the setting tool 8, ashereinafter described.

The lower end of the tubular fitting 23 slidably engages the wash pipe 9at 23a, and serves as a centering guide therefor. An internal shoulder24, which is formed in the tubular fitting 23, is adapted to engage thewash pipe 9, as hereinafter described, whereby the wash pipe 9 may belifted.

The setting tool 8, which is disposed initially within the packer 6,below the coupling 15 and the stuffing box 16, is removably connected tothe lower end of the tubing 7 and to the tubular fitting 23. As shown,the setting tool 8 is connected to the tubular fitting 23 by a nipple 25and a coupling 26. The nipple 25' actually is a downward extension ofthe setting tool 8, and is required only when the diameter of the packerbarrel 12 is relatively small. The lower end of the setting tool 3 maybe connected directly to the tubular fitting 23 when the diameter of thepacker barrel 12 is sufliciently large to provide the necessary space.

The wash pipe 9 is freely movable within the tubing 7, the setting tool8 and the nipple 2S, and the lower end thereof is maintained inengagement with the seat 10 by the action of washing fluid movingdownwardly thru the tubing 7 on a tubular piston 27, which is connectedto the upper end of the wash pipe 9 and forms a seal between the washpipe 9 and the tubing 7. An external shoulder 27a formed by the lowerend of the piston 27 is adapted to engage the internal shoulder 24 ofthe tubular fitting 23, whereby the wash pipe 9 may be lifted.

The setting tool 8 includes means for collapsing the packer 6, ashereinafter described. The setting tool 3 has a tubular body 28 which isconnected at its ends to the tubing 7 and the coupling 26, oralternatively, the tubular fitting 23, as above described. An annulargroove (not shown) is formed in the peripheral surface of the tubularbody 28, and a pair of semi-circular dogs 39 are disposed within thegroove. The dogs 30 are acted upon by a plurality of coil springs 31,which are disposed between them, whereby they are urged outwardly inopposite directions. A circular band 32, which is attached to thetubular body 28, loosely retains the dogs 30 in engagement with thetubular body 28 while permitting them to be expanded by the action ofthe springs 31.

In collapsing the packer 6, the setting tool 8 is first disengaged fromthe screen and liner setting, by rotating the tubing 7 whereby thetubular fitting 23 is disengaged from the swaged nipple 13. The settingtool 8 is then lifted until the expansible dogs 30 are in engagementwith an annular groove 34, which is formed in the inner surface of thepacker stern coupling 15 below the stuffing box 16. An internal shoulder35, which is formed in the coupling 15 below the groove 34, engagesexternal shoulders which are formed by the lower edges of the dogs 30,whereby the weight of the entire string of tubing 7 is caused to bearupon the packer stem 14, causing it to telescope within the packerbarrel 12 and collapse the canvas tube 17.

A pair of diametrically opposed lugs 36 extend upwardly from the upperedge of the setting tool 8 for engagement with corresponding slots 37formed in the lower edge of the stufling box 16, whereby the stuffingbox 16 may be disengaged from the packer stem coupling 15 by lifting thesetting tool 8 until the lugs 36 engage the slots 37,

and then rotating the stuffing box 16 with respect to the packer sterncoupling 15.

In operation, the screen and liner setting, comprising the set shoe 3,the screen 4, the liner and the packer 6, is first lowered into the wellon the tubing 7 and the setting tool 8, and washing fluid is circulateddownwardly into the formation thru the tubing 7, the wash pipe 9 and theset shoe 3. Thereafter the setting tool 8 is disengaged from the screenand liner setting, by rotating the tubular fitting 23 with respect tothe swaged nipple 13, and the setting tool 8 is lifted until the washpipe 9 is disengaged from the seat 10. Washing fluid is then directedupwardly inside the screen and liner setting. The setting tool 8 is thenlifted further until the expansible dogs 30 of the setting tool 8 are inengagement with the annular groove 34 of the packer stem coupling 15.The setting tool 8 is then lowered whereby the weight of the entirestring of tubing 7 is caused to bear upon the packer stem 14, and thestem 14 telescopes within the packer barrel 12, causing the canvas tube17 to collapse. The setting tool 8 is then lifted whereby the lugs 36 ofthe setting tool 8 engage the slots 37 of the stufiing box 16, and thestufiing box 16 is rotated whereby it is disengaged from the packer stemcoupling 15.

The invention may be modified in various ways without departing from thespirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination, a screen and liner setting comprising a set shoe, ascreen, a liner and a collapsible packer disposed one above the otherand connected end to end, the packer including a barrel connected at itslower end to the upper end of the liner, a stem receivabletelescopically within the barrel and extending upwardly therefrom, and acanvas tube surrounding the stem and connected at its ends to the stemand the barrel, respectively, a coupling connected at its lower end tothe upper end of the stem and having an annular groove formed in theinner wall thereof, a string of tubing, 9. setting tool connected to thelower end of the tubing and received within the stern, below the annulargroove of the coupling, the setting tool having a plurality of springbiased expansible dogs receivable in the annular groove of the couplingwhereby the weight of the string of tubing may be caused to bear uponthe stem to expand the packer, a pipe comprising a downward extension ofthe setting tool and extending downwardly thru the packer, couplingmeans comprising a downward extension of the packer barrel andconnecting the lower end of the packer barrel to the upper end of theliner, a tubular fitting connected at its upper end to the lower end ofthe pipe and connected by lefthand threads to the coupling means, and awash pipe disposed within the tubing and freely movable longitudinallywith respect thereto, the lower end of the wash pipe en- 6 gaging a seatprovided therefor in the set shoe and the upper end of the wash pipecarrying a tubular piston, the tubular fitting slidably engaging thewash pipe and having an internal shoulder for engagement by an externalshoul der formed by the under side of the tubular piston.

2. In apparatus as described in claim 1, a stufling box surrounding thetubing and connected by left-hand threads to the coupling, and mutuallyengaging means carried by the stufiing box and the setting tool,respectively, whereby the stufiing box may be disengaged from thecoupling by rotating the setting tool.

3. In combination, a screen and liner setting comprising a set shoe, ascreen, a liner and a collapsible packer disposed one above the otherand connected end to end, the packer including a barrel connected at itslower end to the upper end of the liner, a stem receivabletelescopically within the barrel and extending upwardly therefrom, and acanvas tube surrounding the stern and connected at its ends to the stemand the barrel, respectively, whereby the canvas tube may be expanded bytelescoping the stem with respect to the barrel, a coupling connected atits lower end to the upper end of the stem and having an annular grooveformed in the inner wall thereof, a string of tubing, a setting toolconnected to the lower end of the tubing and received within the stem,below the annular groove of the coupling, the setting tool having aplurality of spring biased expansible dogs receivable in the annulargroove of the coupling whereby the weight of the string of tubing may becaused to bear upon the stem to expand the packer, a pipe nippleconnected to the lower end of the setting tool and extending downwardlythru the packer, a coupling connected at its ends to the lower end ofthe packer barrel and the upper end of the liner, a tubular fittingconnected at its upper end to the lower end of the nipple and connectedby left-hand threads to an intermediate portion of the last mentionedcoupling, and a wash pipe disposed within the tubing and freely movablelongitudinally with respect thereto, the lower end of the wash pipeengaging a seat provided therefor in the set shoe and the upper end ofthe wash pipe carrying a tubular piston forming a seal between the washpipe and the tubing, the tubular fitting slidably engaging the wash pipeand acting as a centering guide therefor, and the tubular fitting havingan internal shoulder for engagement by an external shoulder formed bythe under side of the tubular piston whereby the wash pipe may besuspended from the tubing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,907,862 Pearce May 9, 1933 2,243,967 Layne et al. June 3, 19412,442,544 Johnson June 1, 1948

